Personal
by DragonoftheMidwest
Summary: Mokuba convinces Kaiba to hire a chef, and the brothers get more than they bargained for. Rated M for possible later chapters. Bunches of thanks to Micki for letting me bounce ideas off her!
1. une amende cuisinier

Seto and Mokuba Kaiba walked into their usual restaurant for Friday nights. The staff all knew them, knew their order, and what table they preferred. The Kaiba brothers didn't usually eat at the same place twice, but there was something special about this food. It made them feel as if all was okay in the world. The restaurant itself was average, but the food was unlike any other. Seto's steak was cooked and flavored to perfection, and Mokuba's pasta was to die for. As they sat down, the waitress confirmed that they were having what they always ordered and ran off to the kitchen to notify the cooks. She brought them their drinks, lemonade for Mokuba and a glass of red wine for Seto. The blonde waitress brought them their food, along with another glass of wine, and left them to their dinners.

"Say Seto, do you ever get tired of going out to eat every night?" Mokuba asked, "I mean, the kitchen at home hasn't been used since you inherited it."

"Mokuba, you know why we don't use the kitchen."Seto replied icily.

"Well, we have the money; why not hire a personal chef? That way, we don't have to use the kitchen ourselves. It might help us avoid the press, too."

"I hadn't thought about that," the older brother replied. Seto Kabia leaned back, thoughtfully. "Who the hell would we hire? We would be letting them into our home, and they would have to live with us because of how often our schedule changes. We can't just hire somebody off the street, and any good chef in the city is probably already employed."

"Why not ask the chef here? We like his food, and he probably gets crappy pay here compared to what we could pay him." Mokuba suggested.

Seto sipped his wine and thought for a moment. Mokuba did have a point. The chef here prepared food good enough for the brothers to become regulars. He thought that a chef of such skill should be working at a much nicer establishment. "I think you're onto something. I think I'll ask to speak with the chef after we're done with dinner, perhaps we'll discuss it over dessert." He signaled the waitress to come to them.

"Are you gentlemen ready for the check?" The girl asked politely as she cleared their plates.

"No, actually, I would like to speak with your chef. Could you have him come out here after he prepares us a dessert?"

"Is everything okay? Was there a problem with your dinner?" The girl looked scared.

"I would prefer you not ask questions about things that do not pertain to you. Just fetch me the chef after he prepares us a dessert." Kaiba growled.

The waitress hesitated, as if she wanted to say something, but decided to keep her mouth shut, before she hurried off to the kitchen. She returned moments later. "Chef MacArthy shall be with you shortly. Chef is preparing a devil's food cake with a raspberry ganache for you gentlemen."

"Fantastic, I await to taste more of his work." Kaiba replied.

"I'm sure you'll be pleasantly surprised, Mr. Kaiba." The waitress smiled. Seto thought he could hear the slightest hint of sarcasm in her voice as she told them that the chef would bring the dish out personally.

Ten minutes, and another glass of wine later, and a woman in a black chef's coat came to their table with a plate with two generously sized slices of cake on it. Kaiba narrowed his eyes, for this was surely not Chef MacArthy. A woman could never cook to his standards. "I thought Chef MacArthy was bringing us the cake?" he questioned the girl. Kaiba noticed that she was about his age. She was short and had a curvy figure, with alabaster skin, green eyes, and curly red hair poking out of her hat. Her face was covered in freckles. She could have been pretty if she weren't in a messy kitchen uniform.

"And I did. Chef Colette MacArthy at your service, may I ask what you requested me for, Mr. Kaiba?" She set the dish down in between the brothers. "Dig in; my devil's food cake is ironically heavenly." She chuckled and handed the brothers forks.

"You must be mistaken, is there another Chef MacArthy here? Your brother? Father? Husband?" Seto was certain that this girl couldn't be the head chef here.

"Not at all, I am the only MacArthy in Domino. Do you have a problem with me being a woman?" Her green eyes showed no emotion, which Kaiba thought was strange for a woman. Most women he knew were easy reads if you looked into their eyes. This girl, however, was a mystery.

"I suppose that I am merely taken by surprise. Most restaurants have a predominately male kitchen staff. I've never met a head chef that was female." Kaiba surprised even himself with his honesty.

"Do you know why I'm the only female executive chef in Domino?" She asked. There was a harsh tone to her voice.

Kaiba proceeded with caution, "No, please enlighten me as to why you are."

"Because this is a male dominated field, it is hard for a woman to even get into a kitchen, let alone make her way to the top. I made it to the top not only because I am the best at what I do, but because I am not afraid to take out anybody who gets in between me and my goals. You can't get to the top without squishing a few of your competitors. You, Mr. Kaiba, of all people, should understand that."

Kaiba took a bite of the cake, analyzing the flavor. Ironically heavenly was right. The cake was moist and light. The balance between the chocolate and the raspberry was just right. The filling between the layers was smooth and sweet. "Impressive." Kaiba mused.

"My speech, or my cake, Mr. Kaiba? Please elaborate." Colette MacArthy put her hands on her hips.

"Both, actually, which brings me to why I requested you come out here. I have a proposal for you." Kaiba took another bite of his cake, savoring it in case she declined his offer.

"I'm listening." Her eyes narrowed in suspicion.

"I have been eating dinner here with my brother for quite some time. The only thing that keeps us coming back is the food." Kaiba avoided saying 'your food,' for he was still uncertain that this girl was the chef. I would like to interview you to come and be our personal chef. You would have to leave your job here if you accepted the job. You would move into our home and cook only for us and any guests we choose to entertain. If we plan an event, you will be in charge of any and all catering. On top of us covering your living expenses, you would receive twice your salary here."

The redhead considered it for a while. The brothers finished their cake before she finally looked at Seto and asked, "How much freedom would I have with what I serve?"

"We're both allergic to mushrooms, so no mushrooms. You would submit a menu for me to review by 7 pm every Sunday night. We would still be able to request you add certain things to the menu. Do you have any other questions?"

"None at all, Mr. Kaiba."

Both of them were aware that Mokuba was following every word of their conversation intently. They both looked at him.

"Well?"Mokuba asked. "Does the Kaiba household have a chef?"

"Not yet. I still have to officially interview her." Kaiba told his brother.

"Hold on, I haven't accepted your offer yet." The young chef reminded him. May I contact you at a later time with my answer?'

"Very well." Kaiba grumbled, "You have 48 hours." He handed her a business card with his number on it.

"Thank you, I appreciate the offer." She shook his hand, and returned to the kitchen.

Kaiba snorted, paid the waitress, and left the restaurant with Mokuba. As their limo pulled up, Mokuba turned to him. "Big Brother, what did you think of her? " It had been years since Mokuba had called him that, so Kaiba knew there was something other than food on his mind.

"Mokuba, I know she's a woman, but she may be working for us. That's unprofessional. And she was far too argumentive."

"You mean she didn't bend over backwards for you? Come on, I saw how you looked at her when she first came out. You gotta admit, she's pretty."

"Hmmph. I suppose, if she wasn't covered in food."

"I hope she accepts the interview. It'll be nice to eat at home for once."Mokuba smiled at his brother as the limo pulled up to their mansion. "Plus, she can make us as much of that cake as we want!"

"That was good cake." Seto mused. "Now get to bed, we have that press conference for the new Duel Disk launch tomorrow."

"Yes, sir." Mokuba pouted as he climbed the staircase. Seto followed close behind him, ready for bed. Both of the brothers fell asleep as soon as they hit their beds.

* * *

Colette unlocked the apartment door quickly, and quietly. She turned the lights on to see Dale, her little wolf sable Pomeranian in his basket. She took him out to do his business and pulled out the business card that Kaiba had given her. It was white, with the Kaiba Corporation logo embossed in silver along with a phone number. She sighed; Colette liked the restaurant she worked at. She would miss her coworkers that she had gotten to know over the past 2 years she had been there. It was time for a change though, and she hoped that if she got the job as the brothers' personal chef, she would find the freedom to do as she wished with her skills as a chef, rather than having to put out the same crappy, out of season dishes day in and day out. There was a tugging at her pant leg. Dale had his front paws on her shin, and was wagging his curly tail. He was always so happy when she came home. Having a companion to come home to made her boring job a little more tolerable. She took Dale back inside, and locked the door. After a shower, and watching a recording of the evening's news, Colette cuddled up with Dale and went to sleep.


	2. Mis en place

Seto Kaiba was in his office going over a budget for a new project that he was working on. It was Saturday morning, and most of his employees were out of the office, save for the part time secretary that he hired specifically for the weekends. She was older, had a nasally voice that got on his nerves, but she got the job done. Mokuba was at home, either sleeping or working on homework. It was his senior year of high school. He hadn't been accepted to any colleges yet, but it was only November. The leaves on the trees had just changed. Mokuba hadn't even decided what he wanted to study, but Seto hoped that he would study business administration, so that Mokuba could become the Vice President of Kaiba Corp.

The intercom on his desk buzzed. Seto pushed the red button to answer the call. "What is it?" he growled.

"There is a Colette MacArthy on line 1 for you Mr. Kaiba." The secretary's voice croaked.

"Got it," Kaiba disabled the intercom and picked up the call. "Kaiba speaking." He tried to keep from being too rude. Yes, the girl was interrupting his project, but he did instruct her to call him as soon as possible.

"I would like to accept your offer for an interview. When works for you?" Colette's voice smoothly came through the line.

"Tonight, Mokuba will pick you up at 4. You will go get ingredients for what you would like to prepare for us. I want you to prove that you can do something other than cake and steak. We currently have nothing in the house for you to work with. You will also need to get plates and whatever utensils you will need. Any questions?"

"None, Mr. Kaiba, I shall be ready for Mokuba when he arrives."

"Very well, I will see you at dinner time. Do not disappoint me." Kaiba replied and hung up the phone. The girl was very direct. He liked that.

* * *

Colette set her cell phone on the kitchen counter went to her bedroom to retrieve her knife kit. It was Saturday. Saturday was knife sharpening day. Bringing her knife kit to the kitchen, she pulled out her tri-stone and the mineral oil. She started with her tourne knife. A small, curved blade, specifically crafted for a complex cut. As she pulled the blade against the stone, she mused over what she would do. She knew she would tourne something for the Kaiba brothers tonight. Tournes were a mark of a well trained chef. Two inches in length, seven sides, and ¾ inch in diameter; the cut itself was time consuming, but could make the difference between getting a job and not.

She worked her way through all of her knives, sharpening and honing a process that took a full hour, an hour that was always worth it. Sharp knives gave her a sense of satisfaction when they effortlessly cut through meat and vegetables. She put the knives back in the kit, and sat at the coffee table with pen and paper to plan out the dinner for the brothers. After tapping the pen to her paper for 10 minutes with no ideas, she got up and got her clipboard and her textbook from culinary school. Sitting on the couch with Dale curled up against her; she flipped through her old book, hoping for inspiration to strike. Going through the seafood section, she saw the recipe for crab bisque. Scribbling the ingredients down with a quick prep sheet, she decided that crab bisque would be the first course.

As soon as she finished with the prep sheet, she heard a small ringing. Looking around, she saw Dale by the door, ringing the little bell that signaled that he had to go outside. Taking the clipboard with her, she took Dale outside and continued brainstorming. Looking up, she saw a flock of ducks flying south. _Hmm, Duck Poele. _Scribbling furiously, Colette wrote out: Duck breast with glazed vegetables and wheat berry pilaf. All that was left was dessert. Pot de crème sounded like a good idea. Colette checked her watch. 1:30, she took Dale inside, showered and dressed. As she was eating her lunch, mushroom ravioli with a pesto sauce, her phone rang.

"Colette MacArthy speaking."

"Chef MacArthy? It's Mokuba. I'm about to leave to come get you. Where do you live?"

"7859 Pine Avenue, building 3, I'll be ready when you get here."

"Alrighty. See ya then!" Mokuba hung up.

Colette sighed and got up. She washed her dishes, and went to her room to change. She put on a white chef coat, and black and white checked pants. Not the most fashionable choice, but they were comfy and functional. She pulled her curly hair into a ponytail, or something resembling one and got together her knife kit, and list. As she was making sure that Dale had food, she heard a powerful engine approach. She looked out the window to see an orange Lamborghini pull up. She ran out the door and greeted Mokuba as he got out and opened the passenger door for her.

"How are you today?" She asked politely, not sure what to talk about with the teenage boy.

"I'm fine! I'm excited for tonight! I know you'll get the job!" Mokuba replied excitedly. "Do you know what you're making? Can you tell me? Or is it supposed to be a surprise for me and Seto?"

Colette giggled. "I can tell you. You'll be shopping with me, so you'll figure it out. But first, we need to get equipment. I have knives and spatulas and spoons, we just need pots and pans."

"You have your own chef knives? Cool! Where did you get them?" Mokuba was finding it hard to contain his excitement about having dinner at home for the first time in years.

"Ever culinary school gives students their own knife kit. I expanded mine through the years, so mine is bigger than the standard one that I got when I was your age. I can show you when we get to your house."

"Forgive me for asking, but how old are you?" Mokuba asked cautiously.

"I turn 25 in two weeks, why do you ask?" Colette answered.

"You're older than Seto! That's kinda cool! He just turned 23!"

"Well, then we're both quite successful for our age, aren't we? I have classmates that are still just prep cooks and are older than me. The key in any field is determination and being the best at what you do. Nobody in the culinary industry gets anywhere without many sleepless nights, I was no exception."

* * *

Colette had Mokuba stop at a restaurant supply shop. She picked out ramekins, sauté pans, stock pots, and a couple of sauce pans, all copper bottomed. She also got a couple of cutting boards, a colander, and some half-sheet trays. As she passed the service ware section, she turned to Mokuba. "Your brother said that you do not have plates or silverware at your home. Is this true?"

Mokuba looked down, abashedly, and muttered "We haven't eaten at the mansion since Seto inherited it. Back then, we were too young to cook. Now, we just don't out of habit."

"You should still have plates though, from before he inherited it, shouldn't you?"

"Can we not talk about this now? Let's just pick out some new ones."

"Alright, do you think your brother would prefer square or circle plates? Circles are more common, but square gives more plating freedom, I think."

"I think circle plates. Seto wouldn't think square plates make sense. He would just see them as a dumb trend."

"He does seem like a no-nonsense kind of person. These white ones with blue and silver trim on the edges look nice. What do you think?" Colette held a set of plates and bowls with silver edging and royal blue designs on the outer parts of the bowls.

"I like them, and I'm sure Seto will too!" Mokuba grinned. They paid for everything after picking out silverware, and left the store. After a trip to a couple of farmers' markets and butcher shops, they had everything Colette needed for her interview that night, so they set off for the mansion. Colette suddenly had butterflies in her stomach as they drove through the wrought iron gates and up the long driveway towards what could be her new work place.


	3. Une Occasion Lumineux

Seto Kaiba was in his office, going over a progress report that one of his lead programmers had sent him regarding Kaiba Corp's newest project. Beta Testers would be needed soon, but how to get them, Kaiba had no idea. He could call those that participated in the Battle City Tournament, but that would involve people from the past that he didn't want to interact with on a daily basis, even if it was for the betterment of this project. He sighed in frustration, and ran his fingers through his chestnut hair.

The intercom on his desk crackled to life, "Mr. Kaiba, your brother is on line 2 for you."

Kaiba picked up the line, "What is it, Mokuba?" he growled.

"Just letting you know that we're on our way back to the mansion. I'm excited for what Chef MacArthy is making! Whatever it is, it's got crab in it!"

"Crab, you say? I can't remember the last time I had crab." Seto thought out loud. "Did you two get the necessary tools for her to cook with and for us to eat with?"

"Yeah, we did. I think you'll like the plates and bowls that we got! They remind me of a certain Duel Monsters card that you like!" The elder brother grunted in response, only half-listening by this point in the conversation, as Mokuba chattered about what he thought about their purchases for the day. It wasn't until Mokuba had said his name 3 times in a row that Seto realized that his brother had asked a question.

"What was that?" The CEO asked.

Mokuba sighed on the other side of the line. "I asked what time you would be home. We're turning into the drive now. Colette says she needs to wash the dishes and pots and stuff before we use them tonight." There was a pause, before Kaiba grunted that he would leave the office soon, and hung up. He buzzed his secretary, "Have Roland bring the limo around. I plan on leaving soon. Once the limo is ready, you may leave."

"Very well, Mr. Kaiba."

Kaiba worked on transferring his projects to his cloud drive. He would have to finish up after he was done interviewing Chef MacArthy. After receiving confirmation that his limo was ready, he left to have dinner in his own home for the first time in years.

* * *

Colette was drying the last of the dishes when Seto Kaiba walked into the kitchen. After putting the dishes in a cupboard, she dried her hands and shook his hand firmly. "I'm excited for this opportunity, even if I don't get the job." She told him, politely.

"Why would you feel good about not getting it? That would mean you failed." Kaiba eyed her curiously. She looked different than she had the previous night. More relaxed, possibly. Her hair was pulled back, and she was in what appeared to be older and more comfortable clothes. She had an apron on, and looked more professional without any food on the white coat.

"That may be true, but you thought that my cooking was good enough to request that I work for you privately. That food was a recipe designed by a corporation that just wants to make money. I have no freedom in that restaurant, and everything is prepared for the general public, and not for individuals." The redhead crossed her arms. "It's an insult to my training to work in such a kitchen. But since you like what I can do with a cookie cutter menu, I'm sure you'll love what I prepare for you tonight."

"I certainly hope so. Do not disappoint me." The younger CEO told her curtly.

"So how do you want to do this? Food first, then interview? Interview before I cook? Interview while I cook and save time? I'm all for efficiency if that's how you want to do things." She offered, studying his face for a reaction.

"Interview while you cook. I will fetch Mokuba so we can both interview you together." The brunet man turned and left the room. While waiting on him to return with his brother, Colette brought out her knives and honing steel, running the blades along the cold metal soothed her nerves, even though she didn't need to hone her blades again. It wasn't until the brothers sat down at the table across the room from her, that she sat her knives down on the counter.

"Shall we get started?" She pulled an apprentice cap out of her pocket, and managed to hide all of her hair inside it. After washing her hands, she got the vegetables out to begin prep work. Onions, carrots celery, potatoes, turnips; she diced the onions, celery, and some of the carrots. The potatoes, turnips, and remaining carrots, she set aside for the tournes. Cleaning her area, she began the pot de crème base.

"So what are you making for dinner?" Mokuba chirped. He was fascinated with her choice of vegetables.

"I am making a three course meal for you gentlemen. The first course will be crab bisque. Next up will be a specially sautéed duck breast, with wheat berry pilaf, and glazed vegetables. Dessert will be a pot de crème with a caramel peanut sauce and fresh fruit." Colette replied while measuring out chocolate and cream.

"What is pot de crème?" The younger brother asked.

"It's a baked chocolate pudding. It sounds a little weird, but I promise that it's delicious." Cream and chocolate went into a double boiler to melt together and infuse with vanilla beans.

"What makes the duck breast so special?" Kaiba spoke for the first time since re-entering the kitchen. His sapphire eyes met her emerald ones, challenging her.

"I will cook it without turning it or flipping it after putting it into the pan." Onions, celery, carrots, and butter went into a big pot together. "It takes great skill to do properly. It's also more dangerous than most cooking methods." Pulling out her tourne knife, she began cutting the root vegetables into small football-like shapes.

"What are you doing now?" Again, the older brother asked.

"A kind of cut called a tourne. It takes a while to master. It can mean the difference between a cook and a chef."

"What is the difference between a cook and a chef?" Seto Kaiba was leaving no room for over exaggeration with this girl.

"Anybody can be a cook. A chef takes food and truly turns the preparation into an art form. Chefs are craftsmen, much like a blacksmith would be. It's like the difference between an average hacker and a full-fledged video game programmer." Colette shot back, turning the vegetables in her hands with fluid motions. After all of the vegetables were cut, she turned to the soup pot. She added tomato paste. Reaching behind that pot, she lifted a lid to another pot that neither brother had noticed before.

"What is that?" The brothers asked in unison.

"It's called fish fumet. It's like stock, but faster. I need it for the soup."

"Why do you need it for the soup?"

"Liquid. Most people would add water. Good chefs use fumets and stocks instead of water. Water has no flavor, while stocks have flavor. This is a basic fish fumet because this is a seafood based soup."

The rest of the evening continued like that. Colette preparing food and answering any questions that the brothers threw at her, while Seto tried to make her stumble over her words. He would only hire the best of the best for this job. He wanted somebody who knew how to cook as well as he knew how to run his company.

When the brothers finished their soup, and Colette had the pot de crème in the oven, she hesitated while preparing the duck breast. "Would you gentlemen like a closer look at how I prepare this?" She asked kindly. Mokuba jumped up and all but attached himself to her, while Seto simply shook his head. Mokuba watched eagerly as Colette scored the skin of the duck breast in a crisscross pattern with a knife that she had explained was meant only for meat fabrication. After scoring the breast and seasoning it, she heated a small amount of oil in a pan. Pulling a large metal spoon out of her bag, she readied herself for fast work. Placing the duck breasts in the hot oil, skin side down, she began spooning the oil over the side of the breasts facing her.

"Big brother! You have to come see this!" Mokuba yelled, Seto got up, and walked to the chef's other side to observe her work.

It was more fascinating than he imagined. As she spooned the hot liquid over the raw meat, it shrunk and sizzled as more of the fat hit the flesh. Seto looked at her face to see a look of deep concentration. Her eyes looked like those of somebody doing calculations complex calculations in their head. A few agonizingly slow minutes passed. She removed the pan from the heat and pressed the flesh for a moment, and seemed to make a mental decision before placing the meat on a cutting board. The brothers returned to their seats. She finished up the vegetables and pilaf and plated them. After slicing the breasts, she plated them as well, one breast for each brother.

Seto looked at his plate before turning to her. "This meat is not done. It is still raw in the center. I thought you were a chef?"

Colette responded almost instantly. "Duck breast is to be cooked to a medium to medium well for optimum tenderness and flavor. If I were to cook it anymore, it would become tough and gamey. It is not like chicken or turkey in that it must be cooked to well done."

Kaiba narrowed his eyes. "Do you have proof of this?" He asked.

The redhead pulled a small packet of papers. His answer was there on the first page. She was right. _Damn, I thought I had her. _ He inwardly cursed.

The brothers finished their second course as Colette finished their dessert and began to clean the kitchen as they indulged in the chocolate puddings. After honing her knives once more and putting them away, she was finished with all but the dishes the men were eating their puddings with.

The elder Kaiba wiped his mouth with a napkin and looked at her intensely. "Sit." He indicated a chair across from him.

"I hope you enjoyed your meal." She smiled as she sat down.

"I was good, I admit. However, I have one more question for you."

"Yes?" A pit started to form in her stomach. Did she do something wrong?

"When can you start? I will have some of my men help you move." He asked after he took another bite of his dessert.

"Well, I'll need two weeks' notice for my restaurant, and I'll have to pack up. And there's Dale," she trailed off.

"Who is Dale?" from the tone of her voice, he thought that she might have a child.

"My dog, I have a condition that he monitors for me. He would need to come with me if I were to move here."

"What breed?"

"Fox-faced Pomeranian. He's house trained, and uses a bell to signal he needs to go out. He doesn't yap like most of his breed does."

"How serious is the condition you have?" Seto's eyes narrowed again.

"I won't die on you, if that's what you're implying. He just lets others know if my condition goes too unstable for me to help myself if I need help."

"What condition do you have?" he pressed.

"I'd rather not discuss that right now. Only my closest of friends and family know the details. I'm sure you have some things that you wish to remain a secret as well."

"Very well. Two weeks. I expect to know what day you will move in. I want the first week's menu before you move in."

"Understood. I look forward to working with you." Colette stood and shook his hand.

"I will have the house keeper finish these dishes. I expect you to continue this quality of food."

"Oh, I'll do more than that." She flashed him a bright smile, grabbed her bag, and made to leave the kitchen.

"Mokuba, have Roland drive her home." Seto ordered. He finished his pot de crème, resisting the urge to run his finger along the side and lick the rest of it off, and retired to his office to read more progress reports.


	4. à le marché, sur le marché

A/N: Sorry about the delay! Holidays were crazy for me! Enjoy the update!

* * *

The next two weeks flew by, and before anybody knew it, Colette and Dale were moving into the Kaiba mansion. They were given a room across the hall from Kaiba's home office, on the first floor. The room had its own bathroom and a walk in closet. The entire suite was almost the same size as Colette's tiny downtown apartment. Colette was letting Dale out of his crate to let him explore his new home, when she heard the bedroom door open behind her. She turned; green eyes met blue as Seto Kaiba leaned against her doorframe. She stared him down, waiting for him to speak.

Finally, after a couple of minutes, he did. "I want dinner to be served at 7:00 every night, starting tonight. It is 4 in the afternoon now. The menu for tonight says that you are making Broccoli Chicken Fettuccini Alfredo. Shall I have Roland go get the ingredients?"

"No, I can get them; I just need to take Dale out real quick."

"Dale? Who is Dale, again?" Kaiba asked. Moments later, he felt a tug gentle on his pants leg. He looked down to see a dark grey ball of fluff, wagging its tail and panting.

"That is Dale, and he seems to like you. That's good." She bent down and tapped the floor in front of her. "Come here, Dale." The dog ran to her, and she scooped him up in her arms. He licked her cheek, and then rested his head on her shoulder. "I'm going to take him outside, then bring him back in to kennel him while I'm away. I don't want him getting into any trouble, since he'll want to explore his new surroundings." She walked past him, with Dale in her arms, cradling the small dog almost like a baby or a small child. Kaiba watched her go, his eyes drifted to her backside. Watching her hips sway had him mesmerized. He didn't hear Mokuba approach him from behind, and jumped at the sound of his voice.

"Hey Seto, is Colette all moved in?" The younger boy peered around his brother into her bedroom. Not seeing her, he looked down the long hallway to see her retreating form. "You know, Seto, it isn't polite to stare at a lady like that."

"I wasn't staring; I was making sure she got to the back door to let her dog out!" Seto replied.

"I'll catch up with her and help her. Do you want to go to the store with her? One of us has to go, since she needs our money to buy the food. I can't go, because I have homework to do."

Seto grunted, "Fine." He grabbed his phone, dialed a number, and waited. When the other line was answered, he spoke into it. "Roland, have the limo ready in 10 minutes." He left to go grab his jacket.

Mokuba ran down the hall after Colette. He caught up with her as she passed the door that would lead her to the back door. "Hey, you missed it." He said, with a smile on his face. Hearing growling, Mokuba looked down and noticed a little grey and black dog, squirming in Colette's arms, who was trying to get to him.

Colette chuckled, "This is Dale, just let him sniff you. You seem like a nice person, so he won't bite."

Mokuba slowly extended his arm and allowed the little black nose to sniff his hand. It was cold and wet, just like he imagined the nose of a dog would be. After a few investigative sniffs, the little dog gently licked his hand and looked up at Colette, wagging his tail.

"He seems to like both you and your brother. That's a relief. Want to help me take him out?" Colette asked with a smile.

"Sure, where are you going to leave him while you and Seto go shopping?" Mokuba guided them towards the back door, and out onto the huge backyard.

"I'm going to put him in his kennel. I don't have his bell or toys unpacked yet, so he may get bored. He has his favorite squeaky in his kennel." Colette put Dale down in the grass to do his business.

"What's the bell for? I've never heard of a dog playing with bells before."

"When he has to go outside, he hits it to let me know. It minimizes accidents. He's only had a few since I got him, none in the last year." The two looked on as the Pom rolled around in the grass. "Are you ready to go back in?" Colette inquired the little fluff ball. In response, he ran towards his mistress, tongue out and almost smiling. Colette scooped him up and turned back towards the mansion, with Mokuba following close behind her. "I'll be sure to set up his bell as soon as dinner is ready tonight."

After shutting Dale in his kennel with his squeaky toy, a stuffed Kuriboh, Colette met Kaiba at the limo. They entered on opposite sides of the vehicle, and gazed out the windows on the silent ride to the market. Once there, Colette picked out fresh broccoli, a whole fresh chicken, and other ingredients such as flour and milk that would be used in other recipes for the week's dinners. As she was picking out a bundle of parsley from a basket of questionable quality, she decided that she was going to begin a small herb garden so she could have fresh herbs whenever she needed them. After making sure she had everything, Kaiba silently paid the vendors and ushered her to the limo.

"Excuse me young man!" A raspy voice called after him. Both of the young adults turned to see an elderly couple. The woman had her arm curled around the man's bicep, and she was shuffling along behind him.

"Yes? Did we drop something?" Kaiba sneered.

"You are making that young lady carry all of those heavy groceries? How rude! Haven't you heard of chivalry?" Colette stifled a giggle, finding it amusing that the gentleman was telling Seto Kaiba off for being rude. She imagined that it would be like telling a shark off for eating meat.

"I have heard of it, she just did not indicate that she wanted my assistance. She seems perfectly capable of carrying the groceries." Kaiba retorted.

"Really, I'm fine. I've carried much heavier loads before. This is nothing." The redhead smiled brightly at the elders.

"Shame on you! I'm amazed the young lady is even with you in public! With you not being a gentleman, I'm surprised she even married you!" The woman yelled. They froze at that. Colette watched Kaiba out of the corner of her eye. She saw him sigh, pinch the bridge of his nose, and pause. She imagined he was counting to ten. Other people in the market were watching the exchange, now.

"We are not married, she works for me. She is my private chef. I am paying her to make this food for me. It's her first day on the job, and she doesn't have permission to access my accounts yet. Otherwise, I would be back at home working in my office while she gets this by herself." He slowly hissed.

"Well good for you, young lady! I wouldn't want to marry somebody as rude as him either, if I were you." The woman shouted, and turned around with her husband to leave. Kaiba brushed past Colette, a look of pure rage on his face. The small crowd parted to allow him through. Colette turned and strode towards the limo after him. As she was loading the groceries, she heard a huff to her left. Looking to her side, she met Kaiba's sapphire eyes.

"Can I help you?" She asked him, politely.

"You will have your own card linked to a spending account for groceries by 10 tomorrow morning. You will no longer require my assistance in getting groceries. You will have Roland take you by limo. Is that understood?" He growled in her face.

"Perfectly understood, though I would rather take my own car, since a limo is a bit much for a trip to the market." She replied calmly, not being intimidated by him.

"Do whatever you want, as long as I am not involved beyond the spending account!" He was almost yelling, drawing more attention to them from the remaining onlookers.

"I will. Now, if you want your meal to be served to you on time, I suggest you join me in returning to the mansion so I may prepare it." There was almost venom in her voice, and, it threw him off guard. Nobody he had ever interacted with wasn't intimidated by him when he was angry. This girl however, was standing up to him in his anger. She had guts, that was certain. He locked eyes with her for a moment more, before ducking into the limo. Colette followed suit. On the way back, she pulled her hair up, and pulled out a head band to tame any strays. Kaiba watched her out of the corner of his eye, studying her. Watching the sunlight bring out golden highlights in the red locks, it was like watching a fire. He was mesmerized, by her _hair. _Realizing her was staring; he looked out his own window, wanting to avoid looking at the redhead again before the meal.

"I will have Roland bring the groceries in so you may begin your little routine with your knives. Dinner will be at 7, no later." His voice was almost a whisper as they pulled into the drive.

"Heard." Was Colette's simple reply as she exited the limo.


End file.
